Collapsible fuel container

ABSTRACT

A fuel container comprising an enclosure configured to extend and contract vertically, allowing the container to be in a fully extended state or a fully collapsed state and further capable of being within a motorcycle storage compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automobile and motorcycle fuel transportation. Specifically, a collapsible fuel container that can be stored within a relatively small amount of space when not in use.

With many motorcycles designed for use in a racetrack setting, some models lack a fuel gauge to warn the rider when they are running low on fuel reserves. When taking the motorcycle off the racetrack and onto the road, this can leave a rider susceptible to running out of fuel. Without the space to carry spare fuel, the rider is left stranded with limited options; they must either push the heavy motorbike to the nearest gas station, which could be any distance away, or they must wait for a passerby to stop and offer help. With typical motorcycles weighing anywhere from four hundred to over a thousand pounds, pushing such a machine for long distances is a monumental task. Even if a person stops to assist the rider, there is no guarantee that that person will have a gas can or any spare fuel, leaving the rider pushing the motorcycle once again.

Fuel containers are designed to contain and transport fuel for future or emergency use like the scenario described above. As such, fuel containers are a regular staple in the automobile world. However, in the motorcycling world, fuel containers of the prior art prove problematic. Fuel containers of the prior art prove problematic for motorcycles because motorcycles typically have very little room for the storage of a typical fuel containers. Some fuel containers in the prior art attempt to remedy the motorcycle storage issue with the addition of large storage compartments or hang-on containers alongside the rear wheel, but these solutions can make balancing and riding difficult.

Additionally, current fuel containers designed to attach to the rear wheel of a motorcycle are dangerous and inefficient. Carrying a large amount of a highly-flammable liquid contradicts the safety purpose of having extra fuel. Many times when turning the motorbike, the rear wheel will tilt to an angle such that anything attached to it risks coming into contact with the ground. The friction between a wheel-mounted fuel container and the ground while moving at even a moderate speed could cause a rupture in the container or even an explosion. An alternative to these dangerous and bulky containers that actively store fuel while riding would present a much needed safety feature for motorcycle riders.

The present invention attempts to remedy the shortcomings of prior art fuel containers for use in the motorcycle world by providing a fuel container that is collapsible for storage in a small compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed at a fuel container capable of being collapsed, folded, and stored within a relatively small space when not in use. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a fuel container having an enclosure bound by a top surface and bottom surface. The container is further configured to have a vertically expanded state and a vertically collapsed state. The top surface of the fuel container may comprise a ventilation opening configured to be open or sealed located in one portion of the top surface and a fuel receiving and dispensing opening configured to be open or sealed in another portion of the top surface. In some embodiments, spanning the distance of the top surface, a handle is coupled to the top surface to comprise a carrying handle.

In one embodiment, the enclosure comprises moveable stacked pleats such that the height of the enclosure is varied as the moveable stacked pleats are expanded and retracted.

In yet another embodiment, the top surface of the container contains a ventilation opening located in one corner and a threaded fuel receiving and dispensing opening in an opposite corner. This embodiment is configured to allow for a cap or nozzle accessory that matches and can be attached via said threading system.

In another embodiment, the fuel container comprises a bladder member made of industry standard non-flammable material coupled to the container such that the bladder member is removable from the inside of the fuel container for cleaning or replacement purposes.

In another embodiment, the fuel container comprises an internal bladder member made of industry standard non-flammable material coupled to the top surface and bottom surface such that the bladder member forms the enclosure.

In another embodiment, the ventilation opening on the top surface of the fuel container comprises a push-button opening and closing mechanism, such that a single depression of the mechanism will open or close the ventilation opening.

It is to be understood by one of skill in the art that the enclosure of any of the embodiments described above may comprise a transverse cross-section shaped as including but not limited to a square, rectangle, polygon, irregular polygon, circle, or ellipse.

The methods, systems, and apparatuses are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the methods, apparatuses, and systems. The advantages of the methods, apparatuses, and systems will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the methods, apparatuses, and systems, as claimed. More details concerning these embodiments, and others, are further described in the following figures and detailed description set forth herein below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the collapsible fuel container in a fully expanded configuration.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the collapsible fuel container in a fully collapsed configuration.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the collapsible fuel container in a partially collapsed configuration.

FIG. 1D is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the fuel container in a fully compressed configuration.

FIG. 1E is a close-up perspective view of the top facet of the collapsible fuel container.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container in a fully extended configuration.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container in a partially compressed configuration.

FIG. 3A is a close-up perspective view of the top facet of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container.

FIG. 3B is a close-up perspective view of the ventilation opening and plug of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container.

FIG. 3C is a close-up perspective view of the capped receiving and dispensing opening of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container.

FIG. 4A is a close-up perspective view of the top facet of an alternative embodiment of the collapsible fuel container with a spring-loaded cover flap.

FIG. 4B is a close-up perspective view of the cover flap, coiled spring mechanism, and anchoring handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is described in reference to the accompanying drawings and following embodiments that are presented for the purpose of illustration and should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention thereto.

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a collapsible fuel container 100 in a vertically expanded state while FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view the collapsible fuel container in a vertically collapsed state. The embodiment of FIG. 1A comprises: an enclosure 110 bound by a top surface 130 and a bottom surface to form a main body 140, a ventilation opening 150, at least a second opening 160 configured to receive and dispense fuel, and carrying handle 170 coupled to and spanning the top surface 130.

In one embodiment, the enclosure 110 comprises movable stacked pleats 120. When the embodiment is in a fully vertically expanded state, angles between each stacked pleat 120 approaches 180°, as the enclosure 110 vertically expands (See FIG. 1A). When the embodiment is in a fully vertically collapsed state, the angles between pleats approach 0°, and the pleats 120 fold and stack together, effectively flattening the fuel container 100 to a fully collapsed state (See FIG. 1B).

In another embodiment of the fuel container 100, the enclosure 110 is configured into a system of telescoping members that interlock and are rotatably coupled via internal complimentary threading such that rotating each member extends or contracts the members relative to one another, achieving either a vertically extended state or vertically collapsed state.

In another embodiment of the fuel container 100, a bladder member made of industry standard, non-flammable material is removably coupled to the fuel receiving and dispensing opening 160 or the top surface 130, such that the bladder member encompasses an internal volume of the fuel container 100 and can be removed from the fuel container 100 for replacement or cleaning purposes. In another embodiment, the bladder member is coupled to the top surface 130 and bottom surface of the main body 140, such that the bladder member comprises the enclosure 110 of the fuel container 100.

It is to be understood by one of skill in the art that the enclosure of any of the embodiments described herein may comprise a transverse cross-section shaped as including, but not limited to, a square, rectangle, polygon, irregular polygon, circle, or ellipse.

In another embodiment of the fuel container, the top surface 130 and the bottom surface and enclosure 110 are configured to fold in half along a horizontal central axis X shown in FIG. 1C, such that the entire main body 140 is compressed and folded into a further compacted state, as shown in FIG. 1D.

The main body 140 may be comprised of an industry standard non-flammable material, such as a treated polyethylene or a similar polymer. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the transverse cross-sectional shape of the main body 140 may be various geometric shapes including but not limited to rectangles, polygons, irregular polygons, circles, and ellipses. By way of example, FIGS. 1A and 1B show a square transverse cross-section resulting in a main body 210 forming a box shape. By additional way of example, FIGS. 2A and 2B show a circular transverse cross-section resulting in a main body 210 forming a cylindrical shape.

As described in previous embodiments, the top surface 130 may comprise a carrying handle 170 coupled thereto. The carrying handle 170 is coupled to the top surface 130 of the fuel container in such a manner that the top surface 130 is not penetrated and the integrity of the fuel container 100 is preserved. A person of skill in the art may couple the carrying handle 170 to the fuel container 100 in any manner including but not limited to molding, heat staking, molded fasteners 190, snaps, or compression fits. The handle 170 is further disposed on the top surface 130 such that it divides the surface area and leaves the ventilation opening 150 on one side of the handle 170 and the receiving and dispensing opening 160 on the other side. The handle 170 serves as a stabilizing structure when pouring fuel from or when carrying a full fuel container 100. The length of the carrying handle 170 is configured to span the length of the top surface 130.

The receiving and dispensing opening 160 comprises a surface area configured such that a standard fuel pump nozzle could be inserted into the fuel container 100 for filling with minimal effort. The receiving and dispensing opening 160 may additionally comprise a lipped edge 180, shown in FIG. 1E, or length of raised plastic spanning some length of the edge of the receiving and dispensing opening 160 facing away from the ventilation opening 150. The lipped edge 180 acts as a guide for fuel exiting the inner portion of the container. Someone skilled in the art would appreciate that the shape of the receiving and dispensing opening 160 can be various shapes and sizes that allow for efficient filling and emptying of the container.

In another embodiment, the fuel receiving and dispensing opening 160 comprises a circular shape accompanied by a raised lipped edge 330 that extends the entire circumference of the opening 160. The raised lipped edge 330 is raised to a height such that it forms a cylinder-like structure extending from the surface 130 of the fuel container 100. This extended raised lipped edge 330 comprises, either on its inner or outer surface, threading 340 such that an industry standard cap 350 or pouring nozzle with similar threading may be removably coupled to the fuel container by way of the raised lipped edge 330. This threading allows the interchangeable use of industry standard accessories with the fuel container 100.

In another embodiment of the invention, the fuel receiving and dispensing opening 160 is accompanied by a cover flap 410. The cover flap 410 comprises a shape similar to and larger than the surface area of the receiving and dispensing opening 160, such that when the cover flap 410 is in a closed configuration, the cover flap 410 sufficiently seals the receiving and dispensing opening 160. The cover flap 410 may be coupled to a coiled spring-loaded latching mechanism 420, which is in turn coupled to the main body 140 of the container, as shown in FIG. 4A. The coiled spring-loaded latching mechanism 420 contains force tension such that when no force is exerted to hold the cover flap 410 in an open position (shown in FIG. 4A), the cover flap 410 will be pushed by the spring-loaded latching mechanism 420 and swung into the closed position. A person of skill in the art would recognize that the cover flap 410 may be coupled to the top surface and open and close via a preloaded hinge mechanism or a living hinge.

The cover flap 410 may also be coupled to an end of a strap 430 by way of heat staking or similar non-penetrating fastening method, as shown in FIG. 4B. The strap 430 comprises a plurality of fasteners 440 such that the strap 430 is configured to couple the cover flap 410 to the top surface 130 or carrying handle 170, thereby providing a force sufficient to hold the cover flap 410 in the open position. By holding the cover flap 410 in the open position, a user can pour fuel from the receiving and dispensing opening 160 using both hands without the cover flap 410 closing.

As described in previous embodiments, the top surface 130 comprises a ventilation opening disposed there through. The ventilation opening 150 comprises a sufficient surface area such that any vapors within an interior portion of the invention may not escape. In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, a length of material 310 is removably coupled by an end to the ventilation opening 150 and removably coupled on another end to a plug 320 for the ventilation opening 150. The plug 320 is dimensioned such that it may be inserted into or onto the ventilation opening 150 to create a substantially air-tight seal between the inside of the main body 140 and the outside of the main body 140. A person skilled in the art would appreciate that the ventilation opening plug 320 may be constructed in various fashions to create the aforementioned air-tight seal. In one such embodiment, a ventilation opening plug 320 may comprise a spiral-threaded plug with a ventilation opening 150 comprising spiral threading on its inner diameter, such that both the plug 320 and the ventilation opening 150 may be coupled by screwing the plug 320 into the ventilation opening 150 and interlocking the spiral threads. In another such embodiment, the ventilation opening plug is coupled to the ventilation opening 150 and comprises a depressible plug such that the ventilation opening 150 may be opened and closed by depressing said plug.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate that the foregoing description of the invention has been made with reference to certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, which describe a collapsible fuel container. Those of skill in the art will understand that obvious variations in construction, materials, dimensions or properties may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the claims appended hereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fuel container, comprising: a) an enclosure bound by a top surface and bottom surface; b) the top surface comprising a ventilation opening and an at least second opening configured to receive and dispense fuel; and c) a vertically expanded state and a vertically collapsed state.
 2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises at least one moveable stacked pleat.
 3. The fuel container of claim 1 having a cylindrical shape or a box shape.
 4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a plurality of telescoping members interlocking with one another and rotatably coupled through complimentary threading on each telescoping member of the plurality of telescoping members.
 5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a plurality of telescoping members interlocking with one another by way of frictional fitting.
 6. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a carrying handle coupled to the top surface.
 7. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a plug removably coupled to the ventilation opening configured to seal the ventilation opening by a compression fit.
 8. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a plug removably coupled to the ventilation opening configured to seal the ventilation opening via complimentary threading on the top surface and the plug.
 9. The fuel container of claim 1, wherein the fuel container is configured to fold in half along a horizontal central axis when in the vertically collapsed state.
 10. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a bladder member coupled to at least the top surface.
 11. The fuel container of claim 10, wherein the bladder member is coupled to the top surface and bottom surface.
 12. The fuel container of claim 11, wherein the enclosure is structurally comprised of the bladder member.
 13. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a raised lipped edge disposed about the at least second opening configured to receive and dispense fuel.
 14. The fuel container of claim 13 further comprising threading disposed on the raised lipped edge.
 15. The fuel container of claim 14 further comprising a cap or a nozzle removably coupled to the raised lipped edge.
 16. The fuel container of claim 1 further comprising a cover flap coupled to a spring-loaded latching mechanism configured to seal the at least second opening configured to receive and dispense fuel.
 17. The fuel container of claim 16 further comprising a strap configured to couple the cover flap to the top surface in an open position. 